Patient supporting and transporting device in combination with an X-ray table or the like



June 22, 1954 R. LIMBACH 83 PATIENT SUPPORTING AND TRANSPORTING DEVICE IN COMBINATION WITH AN X-RAY TABLE OR THE LIKE Filed May 4, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR. .gAVID 1 man cH AT TORIE Y June 22, 1954 D R LIMBACH 2,681,839

PATIENT SUPPORTING AND TRANSPORTING DEVICE IN COMBINATION WITH AN X-RAY TABLE OR THE LIKE Filed May 4. 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

DAV/n R L/MaAcH BY AT TORN Y Patented June 22, 1954 PATIENT sUPPoR'rIN G AND TRANSPORTING DEVICE IN COMBINATION WITH AN X-RAY TABLE OR THE LIKE David R. Limbach, Fcnton, Mich. Application May 4, 1953, Serial No. 352,736

2 Claims. 1 In respect to many patients brought to a hospital or a similar institution it is necessary to take X-ray pictures. In a great many instances a number or series of X-ray pictures must. be taken and there is a time interval between the taking of the pictures. Each time a picture is taken it is now the practice to remove the patient from his bed to a stretcher and carry him to the X-ray room where he is removed from the stretcher onto the X-ray table. It is not at all unusual to move a patient from a bed to a stretcher and then to an X-ray table as many as eight to ten times in order to perfect the X-ray to enable a diagnosis. If, as in a great many cases, the patient is ill or seriously injured the necessity of repeatedmovements of the patient from his bed to a stretcher to the X-ray table and then back to the stretcher and to his bed is very disturbing and even dangerous to the patient and can be very detrimental to his recovery.

The present invention relates to a novel combination between a patient-supporting and transporting device in combination with an X-ray table or the like to eliminate the above referred to repeated disturbing movements of the patient during the obtaining of the necessary X-ray pictures. i r

For simplicity of description the patient-supporting and transporting device will be hereinafter referred to as a carrier and from the following description it willbe seenlthat this carrier constitutes a temporary mobile bed for the patient so that the carrier serves both as a bed and a stretcher. in place of the conventional bed and stretcher as now found in hospitals or similar institutions. The carrier likewise can also conveniently serveas a table for minor operations such as on the head and ventriculography. r The primary object of the invention is theprovision of a novel and unique leg supporting arrangement for a conventional X ray table and a patient carrier which cooperates therewith in a novelmanner to make it possible to take X-ray pictures of the patient while he is supported or prone upon the carrier. l

Another object of the invention is the provision of a carrier for the purposedescribed which is comparatively simple of construction yet highly efficient in the support and transportation of a patient and which has mobility and is easily maneuverable.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a carrier ofthe type described which has associated withit a removablesupport for the head ofapatientn 3* T.

Another and still further object of the invention is the provision of a carrier of the type described having associated therewith a removable and optionally positionable support and holder for a fluid jar such as is used in intravenous feeding and in transfusion procedures.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of detachable and attachable compression restraining bands for securing the patient to the carrier.

Other advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read in the light of the accompanying drawings which illustrate a construction embodying the inventive concept.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of the transporting device and the X-ray table.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 31s a view in end elevation of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary topplan view of the transporting device with the head rest in place.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in side elevation, a portion of the view being in longitudinal vertical section, showing the head rest in place on the transporting device and showing a portion of an end of the X-ray table. Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section on the line 66 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction indicated by arrows, showing the fluid jar support in place. l l i Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view in side elevation, a portion of the View being in longitudinal vertical section, of the transporting device with the fluid jar support in place and a portion of an end of the X-ray table. w

Fig. 1 8 is a transverse sectional view of the transporting device on the line 8-3 of Fig. 4 looking in the direction indicated by arrows, showing a patient restraining .band in place.

Fig. 9 is. a fragmentary view in side elevation showingthe attachment of a restraining band end to the transportingdevice frame. p 1 Referring now to the drawings and utilizing like reference numerals and characters to designatesimilar parts, A designates an X-ray table which is conventionalof. construction aside from the legs by which it is supported. By the foregoing it is meant that the X,-ray table is a standard table top containing the usual bucky and heavy metal frame. l conventionally X-ray tables are supported uponfour legs one of which is disposed at each of its corners, whereas inthe present instance only apair of legsis provided and one each'of them is positioned at the rear corners of the rear edge I of the X-ray table as designated at 2 and 3. Each of these legs is provided at its lower end with an elongated and forwardly extending horizontally disposed foot designated 4 and 5, respectively. Each foot is of substantially the same length as the width of the table and each at its front end is preferably rounded as at 6. The table is provided-with a top 1 upon-which, inconventional usage, the patient reclines during the period the X-ray picture or pictures are beingtaken'. Inasmuch as the electrical components of an X-ray table are well known and form nopart of the present invention, description and illustration of them is unnecessary and is not given. The important and vital factor respecting the X-ray table is the described manner of-itssupportand any X-ray table irrespective of its particular components and specific manner of operation is suitable for the practice of the present invention.

The carrieris in general terms a'rectangular shaped bed-like device supported upon wheels .tomakeit mobile, but is constructed in a particular and specific manner to enable it to .co-

operate with the X-ray table so as to position the patient while on the carriage above the X-ray table so that X-ray pictures can be taken.

Specifically the carrier comprises a "rectangular top frame which is preferablymade of 'a continuous hollow .tube orpipe which, for appearance and sanitation, is preferably chromed. Thisframe has side elements 6 ands and'end elements 10 and H and is covered by a top 12 which is suitably secured at its marginal edges to the elements making up the top frame. This top is composed of radiolucent material-so that no shadow is cast on the X-ray film from either the overhead or floor-haunted "X ray tubes. Thereis a supporting frame for the top frame and this is composed in part of a pair of tubes each of which comprises at each end of the carriage a vertical leg designated l3and M respectively. Each vertical leg at its lower end is bentor shaped to extend inwardly and downwardly as at 15 and I6 and the lowerends of these inclined leg portions are interconnected by a horizontally disposed bottom or base leg H; p a

By reference to Fig. 3 it will be seen that the upper ends [8 of the vertical legs l3 and 14 are secured to the end top frame members I0 and ;H at a point inward of theends thereof at a distance slightly greater than the width or thickness of the X-ray table supporting legs 2 and 3. It is to be further noted that the lengths of the vertical frame legs l3 and M are slightly greater than the depth or thickness of the X-ray table.

The opposite ends of the horizontal or base carrier frame leg I! are interconnected by cross braces or ties Hand. 20. A caster mounted floor or ground engaging wheel is mounted in the end of each cross brace or tie, as indicated at '2], 22, 23 and '24. A tray or shelf 25 is'preferably, although not necessarily, positioned above'and supported upon the carrier baselegs l1; 7

"From" the description thus far given it will'be V seen that the patient can be placed upon the carrier top I2 and the carrier'can be rolled into the position illustrated i'nFigs. l to 3 of the drawings and thepatient will be disposed above and: inspaced relationship to the X-ray table .tOpifl for..,the taking :of such .Xeray .pictures as are deemed necessary. The patient can then be wheeled away on the carrier upon which he will remain until it is determined that no further X-ray pictures are necessary. As'explained, additional and further X-ray pictures are ordinarily necessary and to obtain them the patient can, while on the carrier, be

wheeled back and the carrier can'be placed in proper positionin respect to the X-ray table.

In this manner repeated handling of the patient is obviated, which is highly desirable.

.It will be seen that when the carrier and X ray table are utilized in combination with one another .the downwardly inclined and horizontal baselegs of the carrier, including the carrier wheels, are disposed beneath the X- day table while the vertical end legs of the carrier are disposed outwardly beyond the ends '26 and 2'! of the table.

The obliquely extending carrier leg construction is .utilized so :as to position the caster wheels toward the centerof the carrier in respectto its length, which has been found to 'facilitate its maneuverability. vIt is to be understood that the particular point of attachment ofthe vertical legs of the carrier frame to the top of the frame and the particular length of the verticallegs of the carrier'frame, could or would vary to correspond to the technique of the X-ray'table, that'is, in respect to the width of the table legs and the thickness or depth of the table. The length and width of the carrier can also be varied ifneoessary,butthese particular dimensions of X-ray tables are pretty much standard, as is also the height of the tables. In use there would be some sag of the carrier top [2 --due to the weight of-the patient, but the construction'is such that such distortion of the carrier frame or 'sag of its top is small and the carriertop l2 and the top carrier frame elements will remain in spaced relationship above the top 1 of the X-ray table.

An attachment for the carrier is illustrated in 'Figs. 4 and 5 and comprises a head rest B which is preferablyin the "form of a piece of grainlesswood which has a down-turned inner end 28 which abuts and is held'in abutment with the vertical carrier 'frame' legs 13 and M by'the board-carried bracket 29 which has-its down-turned end 30 removablysecuredjinthe slot 3! which passes through the carrier-top I 2 immediately behind the carrier'frameend leg l0. Ordinarily a sheet would be disposed upon the carrier top 12 before a patient 1 is placed thereon and a s'the head board 13 lies in substantially the same plane as the carrier topythe patient can bexpulled along the carrier top by the sheet untilhis head is upon the head rest for the taking of X-ray pictures of the skull.

In many instances the condition of the patient might be .such that he would needtransfusions or intravenous feeding, an'd'to facilitate this an attachable and detachable bottle or jar holder is provided. At each of its ends the table top immediately above the vertical frame legs 13 and. M isprovided with passageways or holes 32, '33, 34 and 35 respectively gandflimmediately therebeneath the'top frame end legs or elements 10 and II are drilled to provide through passageways into the vertical frame legs. The jar holder is preferably constructed of tubular elements formed-to provide a vertical upright'or standard 36the lower end of which is forked to provide legs 31 andita which extend downwardly through the aforesaid holes in the ends of the carrier top, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7. The liquid jars are ordinarily provided with bails and the upper end of the standard 36 is provided with a hook end 39 for the removable reception of the jar bail, and beneath the hook is provided with a pair of opposed resilient fingers 40 and 4| which resiliently encircle the jar to hold it against sway or being jarred into movement. Inasmuch as both ends of the carrier top are provided with means for reception of the jar holder, it can be selectively positioned at either end of the carrier.

Under some conditions it is necessary or desirable to strap the patient to the carrier top, and to this end a series of spaced attachable and removable compression bands are provided along the length of the carrier top. These are all of identical construction and illustration of one of them appears in Figs. 8 and 9, from which it will be seen that each compression band C has at each of its ends an L-shaped bracket element, as indicated at 42 and 43, each of which is provided with a pin which is designated 44 and 45. At proper spaced intervals along its length the side elements 8 and 9 of the top frame of the carrier is provided with openings for the reception of the pins 44- and 45. From Fig. 8 it will be seen that when the bands are in position the lower legs 46 and 41 of the bracket elements lie at the under sides of the frame elements 8 and 9.

From the description given it will be seen that there is no front or rear side in respect to the carrier as the construction is such that either side of the carrier top can be the leading side when the carrier is pushed into telescopic relationship with the X-ray table. This arrangement obviates the necessity of repositioning the patient as the position of the patients head and feet in respect to the X-ray table top can be reversed by merely repositioning the carrier, that is, rotating it end for end, in respect to the X- ray table, such rotation occurring of course when the carrier is disassociated from the X-ray table.

Modification of the specific and precise construction described and illustrated in the drawings can be made without departing from the inventive concept, and the invention is accordingly to be limited only by the scope of the hereinafter following and appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A device for use in X-ray examination of human patients in prone position comprising in combination, a substantially flat, elongated, substantially rectangular, radiolucent member of such proportion as to accommodate thereon a human patient in fully prone position, a wheeled frame movably supporting said radiolucent member in a horizontal plane, a table top adapted to support X-ray plates in a horizontal plane, a frame supporting said table top in such position that X-ray plates supported by said table top are maintained substantially parallel toand in close proximity to the underside of said radiolucent member during X-ray examination of patients on said radiolueent member, said frames characterized further in that they may be moved laterally relative to each other freely .into and out of nested relation whereby said radiolucent member is moved laterally into and out of overlying relation with said table top.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 characterized further in that said table top is supported by said second named frame as a horizontally disposed laterally extending cantilever.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 357,074 Fee Feb. 1, 1887 802,728 Amos Oct. .24, 1905 1,233,292 Brown July 10, 1917 1,273,599 Floyd July .23, 1918 1,380,007 Osterberg May 31, 1921 1,662,293 Bennett Mar. 13, 1928 1,980,848 Cass Nov. 13, 1934 2,014,244 Bramlett Sept. 10. 1935 2,022,714 Gallup Dec. 3, 1935 2,216,789 Scriven Oct. 8, 1940 2,244,122 Scudder June 3, 1941 2,319,589 Drinkwater May 18, 1943 2,418,606 Smith Apr. 8, 1947 2,542,963 Knox et a1 Feb. 20, 1951 

